The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-13
FoE TIE CLARION
Commencement Exercises of the A
& II. College of Mississippi


Introductory to the commencement ex-
ereises proper Of the A. & NJ. College, was
held the Freshman contest for the Magral-
der medal on the evening Of d. This
medal i offered annually by the Professor
of English 70 the best deeiaimer in the
Freshman class. Prof. A. A. kincannon
conducted the exercises in a dignifed and
graceful manner There were twelve con-
testants, all Of whom showed evidence of
careful training Me-srs j. 5. Meng and
o. G. Brothers delivered their deelama-
tons in particularly happy manner, but
the Harvard Committee awarded the prize
10 Mr.. VI. j Valentine, Of Starkville, to
whom ii was presented by Mr.. Higgins in
a qfaint, humorous style OF his own.
THE COMMENCEMENT SERMON
was preached in the College Chapel at
eleven o'clock Sunday morning by Doctor
w. NJ. Greer, OF South Carolina, an A. f.
Presbyterian. He took for his text the
first clause Of the twelfth verse Of the sixth
chapter Of the First Epistle of Saint Paul
to Timothy Eight the good fight of
faith He began BY saying that man Is a
hgtlng ANIMAL the combatiye element Is
strong and universal. The burden Of his
discourse Was to show that Christianity
means var, quoting our Sayiour's words :
i came not TO bring peace, but the sword. "
This combative element IN man" he says,
needs TO be sanctiied.' He spoke OF the
/ human heart as the battlefield OF ali
| ages. Ia conclusion, he lamented the fact
| that more Christian fighting Is not being
| done ; that the tendency of the times Is 10
regard life from beginning to end as a
huge Joke that even the pulpit has caught
| the infection and there are legates of the
| skies who court grin when they should
save a soul. Doctor Greer's delivery is
| full Of force and magnetism.
On account of the thronging audienct
| the evening services did not begin until
nine O'Clock The Doctors text was from
| the Epistle OF Saint Paul to the Galatians
sixth chapter, seventh verse: BE moi
| deceived God is not Knocked for whatso
ever a man soweth, that shall he alsC
reap" Ihe evening sermon was on the
analogy OF Turning and our everyday Iif,
treated IRON the point OF evil, as follows
l. The farmer always casts his seet
upon prepared soil The human heart i
the prepared soil Tor all evil and the de7i
is the farmer. We must have new hear
for salvation he soil must be differently
prepared ,. There Is always a lapse o
time between sowing and reaping. Tn,
| immediate results OIL our acts are seldom
the most fruitful. Some men do grea
deal more harm after they are dead an,
rotted in their graves than when alive; 3
The farmer always expects an increase
There is no business corporation that yield
such dividends as the soil. The sinne
who counts the fly specks on the wal
| while the minister is preaching the promi
SEES of the gospel has not always neglected
the wsrning-he has sown resistance ant
he has reaped resistance a hundred fold
4. Every sowing in the natural world in
wolves il process Of eoncealment--th see,
, is hid from view. Here the analogy i
I significant. The evil we hide, we plant
In conclusion he quoted the promises o
Scripture to those who repent of thei
sins 81 have blotted out as thick clou,
thine transgressions; )" Though your sin
be as scarlet, they shall be as white a
snow = Believe in Christ and thou shall
be saved" At evening service the must
: was unusually fine.
On Monday, July 4th, at eleven o'clock
eight members of